This critical study of the literary magazines, underground newspapers, and small press publications that had an impact on Charles Bukowski's early career, draws on archives, privately held unpublished Bukowski work, and interviews to shed new light on the ways in which Bukowski became an icon in the alternative literary scene in the 1960s.

"As far as scholarship is concerned, it's the best, most needed, and important book ever written and published on Hank's writing and career. I did not realize that such a crazy patchwork of rumor and inaccurate speculation constituted the current state of Bukowski 'scholarship.' Debritto corrects, or questions, much of this rumor and misinformation and builds an invaluable foundation for further academic inquiry. I think sound future Bukowski scholarship will now be possible only because this book. Debritto has done a masterful job." - John Martin, Publisher of Black Sparrow Press

"Charles Bukowski, King of the Underground charts how Bukowski became established through his indefatigable submissions and frequent appearances in 'little magazines', which formed an efficient network spreading poetry to a tiny network of poetry enthusiasts Debritto's study is a rarity: a literary analysis that whets your appetite to devour the poems and stories he discusses." - Spiked